Profiling and prevention of knee joint pathomechanics to reduce risk of developing post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Knee injuries, in particular with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), are of particular concern to the young and active part of our population as about 50% of those patients can expect to suffer from premature cartilage degeneration (osteoarthritis-OA) with associated pain and function loss within 10 years after the injury. The primary cause of that degeneration is believed to be the many repetitions of pathological force distributions on the musculoskeletal structures during everyday activities, but this exact mechanism remains uncertain. With state-of-the art imaging and motion capture methods, we will first construct a comprehensive and longitudinal joint (cartilage) loading profile of those patients and determine the (proxy)factors leading to pathological force distributions. We will then utilize that knowledge to develop and provide proof of concept for rehabilitation interventions with real-time feedback on the knee loading proxies adapted to the specific needs of each individual patient. This project is the first phase in a new longitudinal trial of ACL patients to unravel the factors leading to early OA development. Ultimately this will allow us to optimize ACL and knee injury rehabilitation programs such that not just return to an active lifestyle is achieved in the short term, but also early onset of OA is prevented in the long term.

Keywords:Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructio, Biomechanics, Knee joint loading

Disciplines:System and whole body biomechanics, Sports sciences, Musculo-skeletal systems, Rehabilitation sciences